How do I get health insurance after my COBRA ends?
Wondering how to get health insurance after your COBRA ends? Don’t feel overwhelmed.
When your COBRA health insurance runs out, you can be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period that will allow you to enroll in an Obamacare health plan.
Qualify for a Special Enrollment Period? Then you have 60 days from the end of your COBRA coverage to enroll in a plan from the Marketplace. Remember that only Affordable Care Act-compliant plans, offering the most consumer protections and cost savings, are sold on the Marketplace. Grab our free step-by-step guide to enrolling in Marketplace health insurance here to learn more.
You can contact the HealthSherpa Consumer Advocate Team at (872) 228-2549 to find out how to begin shopping the Marketplace during your Special Enrollment Period to ensure that there are no gaps in your health insurance coverage.
Or, you can easily shop health insurance plans, compare prices, and see what subsidies you’re eligible by clicking here. The health insurance Marketplace has both individual plans and coverage for your family. Enter your zip code below to see available plans in your area.
It’s important to know that you won’t be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period if your COBRA ends because you stop paying your premiums. However, you can still enroll during the annual Open Enrollment Period, which runs from November 1 to January 15. You can also see if you’re eligible for Medicaid or Medicare.
COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. Put simply, COBRA insurance is typically offered when you have, and then lose, job-based health benefits through your employer. COBRA premiums can be quite expensive for consumers—you typically get to keep your previous insurance plan under your previous insurance company, but have to pay 100% of the premiums associated with it (including the part your employer used to pay for you) plus a small administrative fee. Learn more about COBRA health coverage in this guide to everything you need to know about COBRA.
Husband retired in 2019 cobra ends April 31 2021
Great, you can go to healthsherpa.com to see plans and prices or call us at (872) 228-2549
When COBRA runs out, and I obtain a new plan, how doest the deductible work. I am going to lose COBRA and I exceeded my deductible in the first 3 months of this year.
Does this carry over to the new plan I obtain on the Marketplace?
It’s possible that if you get a Marketplace plan from the same carrier as your COBRA plan, the deductible can carry over, but you’d have to check with the carrier. If you switch carriers, the deductible will definitely not carry over.
I have been out of work since February 2020, and applying for jobs ever since. Our household income is only from savings/IRA withdrawals, as my wife is already retired since before I lost my job. My severance pay ended July of 2020.
If you aren’t insured, please give us a call at (872) 228-2549 or go to healthsherpa.com to get health insurance.
Is there a way of extending COBRA past the 18 months because of COVID
No, there has been no legislation to extend COBRA. I’d recommend you go to healthsherpa.com or call us at (872) 228-2549 to get enrolled in an ACA plan after your COBRA runs out. ACA plans also tend to be much more affordable than COBRA, so you’ll probably save money.
I am on LTD through my work and my cobra is running out in August and I am waiting on my ssdi to be approved how can I keep insurance with the same carrier
Give us a call at (872) 228-2549 and we can help you get enrolled in an ACA plan, likely with the same carrier.
My wife will be starting a new job soon, but the health insurance options are terrible. I know if she stays on COBRA (expires 3/31/22) she will be ineligible to elect employer coverage until open enrollment. But can she stay on COBRA until it expires and then be added to my coverage through my employer?
You should check with your employer – sometimes your spouse losing their COBRA insurance will be an event where you can add her to your employer insurance without waiting for your employer’s enrollment period.
My COBRA coverage ended on October 31, 2021. I started at a new employer on October 26, 2021 but I wouldn’t be effective under the new employer’s health care plan until December 1, 2021.
1. Do I qualify for special enrollment for a ACA marketplace plan now to cover myself for the 1 month gap period?
2. If I do not enroll now and something happened say November 15th, would I be able to retroactively enroll for benefits effective November 1 if I obtain a marketplace plan on say November 20th?
Yes, you qualify for an ACA marketplace plan. You can enroll at healthsherpa.com
You would not be able to retroactively enroll.
My cobra runs out March 2022. I won’t be 65 until October 2022. I have been out of work sense March 2022. I am so far still on LTD from work. I have filed for SSI, still waiting for answers. I will still have continued medical bills and test coming in. How can I have insurance or afford it if I can find it
Go to healthsherpa.com or call us at (872) 228-2549
Is it better to keep COBRA into 2022 or switch to a market place plan? I took early retirement Jan 2021 and have about 8-9 more months for COBRA. But my premium is increasing $106/month in 2022. I hope to move out of state in 2022. Should I shop around now or wait until COBRA is over?
Shop around now and see if you can find a more affordable plan. Go to healthsherpa.com to see prices.
My COBRA expired 10/31/2021 & since I’m not working, I can’t seem to get insurance. I plan on getting a job [have to] as soon as possible [have been dealing with family issue], so is there anyway I can get health insurance. Up to this point I’ve been living off my savings & am able to pay for insurance but can’t get insurance because I’m not yet working. Since I took family time, I don’t qualify for Medicaid, nor do I want to go this route, especially since I do have savings. When I do get a job in early 2022, can I still get insurance if I work part time & need assistance? Can I still get Obama Care in 2022? Not sure what to do?
Give us a call at (872) 228-2549. Your options depend on which state you live in.
just awaiting reply: thank you
I had to leave my job due to a 4th stage cancer. I am now 41 years old and have been paying COBRA, which is going to run out in October 2022. Will I then be eligible for Medicare or do I need to find an insurance on the Marketplace? I live in Illinois.
You will likely need to find insurance on the Marketplace (which includes Medicaid if you’re eligible). Give us a call at (872) 228-2549 to talk through the specifics of your situation.
I am currently on COBRA which will expire in June 2023. We will be establishing domicile in Florida in early 2023 because it’s our understanding that Florida is the only state that offers a PPO that can be used in any state (we’re full-time RVers). Can you confirm that?
Also, if purchase through healthcare.gov, are RETIRED, but are living on proceeds from a home sale + a small amount of income from my wife’s business, is my wife’s income the only qualifying income we would have to show?
Here’s a full list of what to count as income for your health insurance application: https://blog.healthsherpa.com/how-to-estimate-income-health-insurance
You’ll have to check with the insurers on whether their plans can be used out-of-state. Most plans cannot be used out of state.
My Cobra coverage expires on June 18, 2022 and I am in the process of looking at permanent coverage in the ACA marketplace. It looks like new coverage starts the first of the month, and it doesn’t appear that I can put it in place before my Cobra coverage ends. Does that mean that I would have no coverage from June 18 – June 30? If so, is there any way to avoid that?
Unfortunately you’ll have a small gap in coverage unless you enroll in ACA coverage starting June 1st
My COBRA ends 11/14/22. I have pulled up the Massachusetts Health Connector site to shop for another plan beginning in November 2022. The site however, stated that the ending of COBRA is not a qualifier for enrolling for November but that I could enroll for 2023. I was under the impression the ending of COBRA should be a qualifying event. It won’t allow me to shop now. Thoughts?
COBRA ending is a qualifying life event. Try calling in and seeing if they can help you over the phone.